On the 38th anniversary of the Halabja massacre, Kurdish leaders underlined that Baghdad must compensate the people of Kurdistan.

On March 16, 1988, the former Iraqi Ba’athist regime unleashed chemical gas over Halabja, resulting in the deaths of approximately 5,000 men, women, and children and leaving more than 10,000 individuals wounded.

“The crime of the chemical bombardment of Halabja was a very great injustice against the people of Kurdistan. Nowhere else in the world has a state committed genocide against its own citizens using chemical weapons, but in Iraq this great crime was carried out against the people of Kurdistan,” President Masoud Barzani said.

“Despite this brutal crime, there are still chauvinistic individuals in Iraq who oppose the rights of the people of Kurdistan. The crime of Halabja and all the crimes of the past are a historical and legal responsibility of Iraq, and it must compensate the people of Kurdistan.”

Kurdistan Regional Government Prime Minister Masrour Barzani added that the “chemical attack on Halabja remains a deep wound in our history and a clear and unmistakable symbol of the oppression and violence inflicted on the citizens of Kurdistan.

“This brutal crime must never fade from the memory and conscience of the people of Kurdistan and of all of humanity. The citizens of Kurdistan must also remember that the achievements attained today in the Kurdistan Region are the result of the blood of our proud martyrs, and must be protected in every way.”

Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani stated that “the events in Halabja represented not merely an effort to physically eradicate the Kurdish people, but also constituted a crime against humanity and a savage assault on the aspirations of a people who sought only life and liberty.”

He emphasized the responsibilities of the Iraqi federal government regarding Halabja and its victims.

“In line with the decisions of the Iraqi High Tribunal, which designated the chemical attack on Halabja as genocide, it is imperative to provide compensation to the victims to guarantee that justice is achieved. The victims of this tragedy must be afforded the highest standard of services and care within the Kurdistan Region.”